The knee is a complex joint made up of many parts and is susceptible to a variety of injuries. Sprains, ligament tears, fractures, and dislocations are some of the common knee injuries.
Knee injuries can be successfully managed with simple treatments like bracing and rehabilitation exercises. Other injuries may require surgery to fix.
COMMON KNEE INJURIES
The most common knee injuries include sprains or tears of soft tissues (ligaments, menisci, etc.), fractures, and dislocations. Injuries often affect multiple structures in the knee.
Swelling and pain are common signs of a knee injury. Additionally, the knee can catch or block. Some knee injuries (e.g. torn cruciate ligaments) can cause knee instability.
ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT (ACL) INJURY
The anterior cruciate ligament is frequently injured while doing sports activities. ACL injuries are more common in athletes who participate in sports such as soccer, football, and basketball. A sudden change of direction or a false landing after a jump can tear the cruciate ligament.
About half of all anterior cruciate ligament injuries occur with injuries to other knee structures such as the meniscus, articular cartilage, or other ligaments.
POSTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT (PCL) INJURY
The posterior cruciate ligament is often injured by an impact to the front of the knee while the knee is flexed. This often happens in car accidents and sports contact. A posterior cruciate ligament tear is usually a partial tear that has the potential to heal itself.
COLLATERAL LIGAMENT INJURY
Lateral collateral ligament injuries are usually caused by forces pushing the knee sideways. These are often contact injuries.
MCL injuries frequently occur due to a direct blow to the outside of the knee and are often sports related.
The lateral collateral ligament (LCL) can be injured by a medial blow to the knee pushing the knee outwards. Lateral collateral ligament tears happen less frequently than other types of knee injuries.
MENISCAL TEARS
Acute meniscal tears are common during sports. Meniscal tears can occur when rotating, cutting, panning, or grasping.
Meniscal tears can also occur as a result of arthritis or aging. Even a twist while getting up from a chair can cause tears as the meniscus weakens with age.
TENDON TEARS
The quadriceps and patellar tendons can stretch and tear. Anyone can suffer from tendon injuries, but middle-aged people who participate in running or jumping sports suffer frequently from tendon tears. Landing is a common cause of hamstring injuries.
FRACTURE
The patella is the most common fracture around the knee. Fractures can also occur at the points where the femur and tibia connect to create the knee joint. Many fractures around the knee are caused by high-energy trauma, such as falling from great heights or being hit by a car.
DISLOCATION
A dislocation occurs when all or part of the knee bone moves out of place. For example, the femur and tibia may become misaligned, and the patella may become misaligned.
Dislocations can be caused by abnormalities in the structure of a person’s knee.
The most frequent causes of dislocations in persons with normal knee structures are high-energy traumatizing events including falls, auto accidents, and sports encounters.
To know more about knee pain visit Specialty Care Clinics. Our doctors will give you proper treatment and information suitable for your condition.